This Recommended Practice documents the preferred methods of estimating and calculating the distributive mass properties of marine vehicles at various stages of weight database maturity. Distributive mass properties include mass (weight) distributions and mass (weight) moments of inertia which are dependent on the mass distributions. These mass moments of inertia are typically reported as Gyradii.

At the earliest stages of design parametric methods are required to estimate distributive mass properties. These parametric methods are briefly discussed and supplied in the appendices; however, the original sources are referenced for complete application and applicability.